Survey Finds Majority of Summer Associates Felt Law Firm Cared About their Mental Health

Summer associates surveyed by American Lawyer expressed positive feedback on their work experiences in the 2022 Summer Associates Satisfaction Survey. Over 5,400 associates responded to the survey, which asked questions on a range of topics including partner access and mentorship, associate interactions, interest in the work, and firms’ alignment with their own goals and self-image. Based on average scores across the categories, American Lawyer ranked the 2022 best firms for summer associates:

1. Blank Rome, 5.0 (tie)

1. Duane Morris, 5.0 (tie)

3. Kramer Levin, 4.993

4. Paul Hastings, 4.980

5. O’Melveny & Myers, 4.997

6. Stroock, 4.956

7. Allen & Overy, 4.944

8. Day Pitney, 4.935

9. Proskauer Rose, 4.929

10. Akin Gump, 4.915

The majority of the law firms received high ratings and nearly 90 percent of third year respondents said that they would accept an offer from their summer firm for full-time employment. Just under three-quarters of respondents said that they expected to have a career at their law firm. The survey also asked summer associates to rank their concerns. Alongside work-life balance, mental health and emotional well-being emerged as key priorities for respondents. Many summer associates felt that their firms adequately addressed those concerns and almost three-quarters said that they felt that their firm genuinely cared about their mental health. 

AMCAS Work & Activities Section: Hobbies

Hobbies. They are not a make or break component of the medical school (and later, residency) application, but they are an opportunity to provide the admissions committee with a view of the person beyond the test scores. Hobbies are also an effective way to demonstrate how you will add to the diversity of the incoming class, showcase qualities you will need as a medical student/physician, and/or provide insight into how you may relieve stress during medical school. 

Within the AMCAS application, hobbies belong in the Work & Activities section under the extracurriculars category. Applicants can provide up to four experiences under each category type, with a 700 character (with spaces) count, unless the experience is designated “most meaningful” (requires an additional 1,325 characters with spaces). 

Below are our guidelines for adding hobbies to your AMCAS application:

• Be current. If you played the trumpet in the high school band, but haven’t picked it up since then, consider what hobbies are more relevant to your life now. What do you turn to for fun, and what do you see yourself doing for stress relief in medical school?

• Be specific in your description. Provide a sense of how often, and how long you have been pursuing the hobby, as well as what the hobby entails. It’s great that you love to read, do yoga, and travel, but so do many others. In what unique ways have you engaged with your interests? Did you launch a monthly book club for discussing the NYT best sellers? Write book reviews for the school paper? Did you gain a yoga teaching certification or take part in a unique yoga retreat? Do you travel to particular destinations or participate in medical experiences abroad?

• State how your hobby has impacted your personal growth. Did an experience within your hobby contribute to a change in your perspective or influence your decision to apply to medical school? What attributes have you developed through your hobby that will benefit you as a medical student and physician (resilience, effective communication and collaboration skills, empathy, the ability to thrive in a diverse environment, etc.)? 

• When possible, provide an experience or milestone that differentiates your involvement in the hobby. Many people play an instrument, but fewer start a quartet or play in the university band. Many people enjoy running or fitness, fewer run the NY marathon to support a favorite cause/organization or start a running club. Providing the specific way(s) that you’ve engaged with your hobby will demonstrate to the admissions committee what you may offer to your incoming class. 

MBA Interviews: When the Interview Requires More than an Interview

To get to know applicants better, MBA programs such as Harvard and MIT will ask interview participants to submit additional materials.

Harvard Business School—Post-Interview Reflections

Within 24 hours of the interview, candidates are required to submit a written reflection through Harvard Business School’s online application system. The submission is not a formal essay. Rather, it should be written similarly to a post-meeting summary one would write to a colleague or supervisor at work.

Shortly after instituting the Post-Interview Reflection, Harvard’s Admissions Blog described the exercise as a real-world practicum, as well as a chance to get students’ opinions regarding their interviews. Professionals routinely need to send emails summarizing meetings and offering assessments. Their ability to do this well is critical for workplace success.

Your Strategy: Be genuine and think critically about the interview. What were the highlights? What could have gone better? Were there remaining “gaps” after your interview, and if so, how do you wish you could have addressed those? The post-interview reflection is an opportunity for you to demonstrate real-world critical thinking and writing skills, as well as offer any information that you feel you did not adequately explain in the interview. In other words, Harvard is not expecting your most polished product, but rather a thoughtful assessment of your interview coupled with a compelling communication. As such, this piece should not be crafted prior to the interview, adapted from another essay, or used as additional resume space. You may, however, want to take some time immediately after your interview to make notes on areas that you’ll want to include in your submission. Then give yourself a bit of reflection time prior to producing your final product. You’ll want to make the most of this final opportunity to show the admissions committee who you are and how you think.

MIT Sloan—Pre-Interview Essay Submission

Those invited to interview at Sloan will be asked to answer the following questions:

• The mission of the MIT Sloan School of Management is to develop principled, innovative leaders who improve the world and to generate ideas that advance management practice. We believe that a commitment to diversity, inclusion, equity, and well-being is a key component of both principled leadership and sound management practice. In 250 words or less, please describe a time when you contributed toward making a work environment or organization more welcoming, inclusive, and diverse.

• We are interested in learning more about how you use data to make decisions and analyze results. Please select one of the following prompts to respond to:

  • Please select an existing data visualization and in 250 words or less explain why it matters to you. The data visualization should be uploaded as a PDF. Examples may come from current events, a business analysis, or personal research.

  • In 250 words or less, please describe a recent data driven decision you had to make, and include one slide presenting your analysis. The slide may include a data visualization example and should present data used in a professional context. Your slide must be uploaded as a PDF.

The interview process is about getting to know applicants more thoroughly. The first question provides you with an opportunity to not only demonstrate that your values match those of MIT Sloan, but that you are willing to proactively work to put those values into action during your business school tenure. The second question allows you to submit proof of your analytical skills and showcase your comfort working with data and using it to drive decision-making.

Your Strategy: Your response to the first question should examine how you will demonstrate leadership in creating a diverse environment and promoting wellbeing among your peers. Focus on a specific example from your past professional experience to demonstrate your ability to cultivate a positive culture. Use the SAR (Situation, Action, Response) model. Spend about 20 percent of your response on the situation, and the remaining 80 percent on the actions you took and what resulted/what you learned. And be sure to clearly link the perspective you gained from this experience to what you hope to accomplish at Sloan.

In the second question, you will want to demonstrate your comfort with using data to tell a story, draw conclusions, and make decisions. If you opt to share a data visualization, clearly state the reasoning for the data visualization, the story or hypothesis you are looking to understand via the data, and why it is meaningful to you. You may want to visit the MIT Data Visualization project page to see current research projects, and gather inspiration. If you opt to submit a professional power point slide showing a data-based decision, ensure that your slide is simple, easy to read, and clearly describes your analysis, assumptions, and conclusions. Then, use your supplemental essay to expand upon each of these areas including the sources of the data, why you analyzed it in the way that you did (and, if applicable, why you did not use other analysis methods), the basis for your assumptions, and how you came to the conclusion that you did (including additional data that would help you to confirm your decision).

Non-Profit Pilots Innovative Law School Funding Model to Alleviate Student Debt Burdens and Promote Career Choice for Graduates

Stanford Law School recently announced it would begin piloting a new tuition financing method for law school students in partnership with a 501(c)(3) nonprofit called The Flywheel Fund for Career Choice. In an effort to alleviate student debt concerns and allow for students to have greater choice in seeking out legal careers, the Flywheel fund has created safeguards around repayments for both lower and higher-income earners.

The pilot program, set to commence this fall, will include up to 20 Fellows who are current students at Stanford Law and have not yet committed to employment post-graduation. The Fellows will receive up to $170,000 up-front to pay for law school tuition and fees, which will be funded by philanthropic donations to the organization. Repayment will begin when the Fellows start their chosen employment post-graduation.

The terms of the pilot program include the following:

• A 12-year payment term, with a maximum of 18 years.

• Fellows will not pay anything until they have started employment (no payments will be requested during any period of unemployment post-graduation).

• Repayment is tied to income, with special consideration given to both low and high-income earners. For Fellows earning less than $100,000 per year, Stanford has agreed to cover all payments. For those earning between $100,000 and $115,000, Stanford will cover partial payments. A cap is also in place for those who opt to take high-income positions, ensuring that payments are never out-sized. The cap is placed at $225,000 per year/$18,750 per month, and Fellows will not be asked to pay a percentage of their income beyond that level.

• Fellows will never need to repay more than they would have if the Fellow had taken out a Grad PLUS Loan at the rate in effect at the time they entered into the pilot program.

• Fellows will also take part in ongoing research on the various factors, including debt, that go into shaping their career selection decisions.

 “We believe this new model for financing a legal education can alleviate financial pressure, encourage students to pursue alternative careers more quickly after graduation, improve our LRAP [Loan Repayment Assistance Program] program, and have a ‘greater good effect’ in terms of helping to finance the legal education of future students at Stanford Law School,” said Frank Brucato, Senior Associate Dean for Administration and the CFO at Stanford Law School.

Are you a Premedical Student with a Nonscience Major? Check Out These Schools.

All premedical students are required to take prerequisites in life sciences before applying to medical school. But the humanities also offer valuable preparation for prospective physicians. In the fall of 2020, about 12 percent of the entering students in the U.S. News top 10 programs in research (11.9 percent) and primary care (11.4 percent) came from a social sciences/humanities background. And, in the fall of 2021, ten schools boasted entering classes with a significant proportion of social sciences/humanities undergraduates (see chart below). If you are a premedical student in the social sciences/humanities, you may want to consider one of these schools.  

Additionally, in your applications and interviews to other schools, be sure to articulate the value of your social sciences/humanities background. A study from 2014 found that while medical students with undergraduate degrees in the humanities maintain consistent academic performance with those from science majors, they also tended to show “…better empathy and communication skills, and a more patient-centered outlook.” Similarly, Rishi Goyal, MD, PhD, and Director of the Medicine, Literature, and Society major at Columbia University, argues that college is an ideal time for exposure to the humanities. “It’s a great time to capture students, to help them develop different parts of the brain,” he said. “It’s more difficult to do that in medical school. Students are already so busy, and it’s harder to convince them at that point that memorizing the Krebs cycle is not as important as holding a patient’s hand or talking to them in their same language.” 

Related blogs:

• Narrative Medicine Helps Physicians Gain Empathy, Make Connections, and Accept Difficult Experiences

• Covid Crisis Brings Attention to the Need for Humanities in Medical School Curriculum

The Wharton Interview: Excel in the Team Based Discussion

An invitation to Wharton’s Team Based Discussion can be as nerve-wracking as it is exciting. But with preparation and the proper mind-set, it can be an excellent opportunity to demonstrate your ability to think on your feet, respond under pressure, and collaborate with others. 

To ace the interview, consider the following tips:

1. Prepare thoroughly. After you receive the scenario, create a proposal and know it inside and out. Practice your presentation, out loud. Present in front of a mirror, or to a live-audience of friends. Be sure that you feel confident about your ability to present your idea in a relaxed way, showcasing how you thought through the exercise. While you don’t want to memorize your presentation word-for-word or sound overly rehearsed, you do want to be able to describe your idea in an articulate way. 

2. Anticipate questions and think through possible responses. Consider what questions may arise from your teammates about your proposal and write out responses to them. The more people you can share your idea with and collect questions from, the better. After working with an idea for a long period, it will become harder and harder to poke holes in it. Let your friends, co-workers, or parents help you with this process.

To begin, ask yourself the following questions:

• What are the benefits of your proposal for students? For Wharton?

• What are the risks of your proposal?

• What assumptions are you making?

3. Be able to articulate the “why?” behind all the components of your proposal, as well as the “why not?” for other potential possibilities. This is important because (most likely) your proposal will not be selected. However, if you can find other students who have a similar “why?” as the foundation of their ideas, it will help you to collaborate with them and contribute to the discussion.

4. Be a team player. We cannot stress this enough. While there is an aspect of competition to the interview, the Team Based Discussion is an opportunity to show your collaborative nature. Don’t try to “win” by pressuring the group to select your proposal or taking up all of the air time. Instead, demonstrate how you will fit into the MBA community by being inclusive and showing curiosity, humility, and adaptability. Articulate your thought process clearly, be positive and encouraging of others’ ideas, continue to move the group forward by summarizing ideas, and question respectfully. Remember that the point of the exercise is to drive towards a strong team outcome; the better the team interacts together, the better all of you will look individually.

5. Set yourself up for a professional virtual appearance, as Wharton will once again facilitate the Team Based Discussion using a virtual format.

• Understand the platform that you’ll be using; if it’s new to you, download the platform and practice with a friend or family member to gain some comfort prior to your interview. 

• Opt for a clean, uncluttered background or select a plain virtual background (forget the beach, mountains, or the Golden Gate bridge). 

• Place a light in front of you so that your face is clearly visible on the screen (backlighting will result in shadows). You may want to take a test run with a friend or family member around the same time of day as your interview to confirm that they are able to see you clearly (this will ensure any natural light in the room isn’t casting shadows).

• If possible, ask others in your home to log out of any high-bandwidth activities during the time of your interview, or consider hardwiring your computer into the internet. You may also want to perform an internet speed test (you can find via google).

6. Day-of tips: 

• Wear a business suit.

• Make your notes available, but do not read them directly or rely on them for more than a memory trigger. It helps to use a larger font, with key words bolded so that you can find your reference quickly.

• Pace yourself when speaking. (When nerves hit, people tend to speak more quickly.) Use hand gestures to emphasize your points, and make eye contact as much as possible with the other attendees. 

• Stay calm in the event of a tough question. Collect yourself by taking a deep breath or a sip of water. Don’t feel the need to launch into a response prior to gathering your thoughts.

• As much as possible, relax and try to enjoy the experience. This will be representative of the dynamic you’ll live in for the next two years. Ensure it feels right to you.

Related blog: How to Approach Wharton’s Essays

Almost Half of Young Lawyers Express Willingness to Leave Employers for Greater Flexibility

A divide between newer and more experienced lawyers is emerging in the wake of Covid. Earlier this week, the American Bar Association (ABA) released its 2022 Practice Forward report, which showed that almost half (44 percent) of lawyers with ten years of experience or less would be willing to leave their current employer for one that offers more remote work. Just 13 percent of those with 41+ years of experience said they would leave.

The report, published with the purpose of gaining an understanding of the “new normal” that legal professionals and employers face post-pandemic, includes survey responses from nearly 2,000 ABA members working in jobs requiring a law degree. 

Three-quarters of respondents expressed a willingness to work in the office any time their employer asks (81 percent of men and 68 percent of women), but the strong majority of all respondents—nine in ten—reported that remote work either improved, or did not adversely affect, their work’s quality. Women were more likely to report that their work metrics (work quality, productivity, billable hours) improved.

Almost half, 47 percent, of respondents said that remote work positively impacted their ability to balance work and family obligations. Among women, 56 percent felt that it improved their ability to find balance. Just over a quarter of respondents, 27 percent, reported that remote work increased the quality of their mental health while the majority noted that it had no impact (57 percent). Almost half of survey respondents noted that remote/hybrid work diminished the quality of their relationships with co-workers, and 61 percent said that it decreased their professional network. 

The report’s findings demonstrate that, in order to retain a younger generation of lawyers, firms and legal employers must create remote/hybrid work policies that are nuanced and cater to individuals’ needs rather than mandating one-size-fits-all policies.  

Despite Stress and Burnout, Most Students Feel that Medical School Prepared Them Well for Board Exams and Residency

In Medscape’s 2022 Medical Student Lifestyle report, which included responses from over 2,000 medical students, many respondents reported experiencing burnout: 37 percent of students reported occasional burnout, while a full third of respondents (33 percent) reported frequent burnout, and 12 percent reported constant burnout. And while 37 percent said that they rarely or never experience doubt about becoming a doctor, many said they did experience doubt sometimes (44 percent), frequently (15 percent), or constantly (4 percent).

Despite many medical students experiencing stress and even doubt, most reported feeling that their medical schools prepared them for the future. The majority of students (64 percent) noted that they felt prepared or very prepared for the USMLE, with half favoring the move to a pass/fail format for the test. Just over two-thirds of students, 67 percent, reported satisfaction with the relationships they formed with their professors. And 59 percent reported feeling prepared or very prepared for residency, with that proportion increasing to 75 percent among fourth year respondents. 

Many students also reported that they found meaning during the pandemic. Over one-third of respondents, 39 percent, reported that Covid reinforced or strongly reinforced their drive to become a doctor. In terms of specialty selection, 24 percent noted that Covid slightly or somewhat influenced their specialty choice, and 12 percent said that Covid influenced or strongly influenced their selection of a specialty. The majority of students (54 percent) said that they felt satisfied or very satisfied with how their medical school handled Covid. 

Pilot Testing Underway for the Updated, Skills-Based Bar Exam

Students currently applying to law school will be the first to experience the Next Gen Bar exam, which is slated to roll out in 2026. The updated exam will test skills identified as necessary for entry into the legal profession, will cover eight subjects, as opposed to the current exam’s twelve, and will use computers for administration, rather than the current practice of pencil and paper. The National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE), which oversees the bar, will continue to administer the exam twice per year. 

The exam is currently still in development with the NCBE finalizing the content scope outline for the test. The initial draft of the scope content was provided for comment in the spring of this year and stakeholders including bar examiners, judges, law school deans, faculty, and administrators, law students, admissions officers, and attorneys provided almost 400 comments. The NCBE has also started to pilot test item sets. The item sets, which are groupings of test questions based on a legal scenario or procedural issue, will ask exam-takers to perform one or more legal skills. Item sets are designed to gauge both a test-taker’s knowledge of legal doctrine, as well as their proficiency in applying the requisite legal skill(s). The NCBE will use the pilot testing to gain insight into the role that resources play in assisting test-takers, as well as the proper method to grade response items within item sets for reliable and accurate scoring. 

To learn more, visit the NCBE Next Gen Bar exam site. 

Top Ten Tips. MBA Behavioral Interviews

If you’ve been invited to interview at any or all of the schools on your list, congratulations! Now, it is time to begin preparing. See below for a list of our top ten interview tips:

1. Upon receiving the invitation, schedule the interview as soon as possible. This will enable you to avoid scheduling conflicts and select the time of day when you have the most energy and the fewest distractions. 

2. Read all you can about the program, and follow them on social media to stay abreast of their latest announcements, research findings, and other content. If possible, schedule an in-person visit prior to the interview, which often will include a tour, class observation, and lunch with current students. Talk to current or former students already in your network to gain insight on the interview process and other aspects of their MBA experience. 

3. Review your application and think through how you will succinctly, yet cohesively, explain your path to this point. What have been some of your most meaningful experiences that reinforced your interest in the study of business? You will likely receive some introductory question(s), which will require a three-minute elevator-pitch response, as well as several others that will require you to back up claims you make about your abilities in the areas of innovation, leadership, and teamwork with specific examples from your professional life. 

4. Convince them that their program is at the perfect intersection of where you’ve been and where you want to go. Be sure you can speak about specific courses, professors, case competitions, experiential learning opportunities, etc. that interest you most.  And explain why, citing some of your past experiences and/or future goals.  Remember, depth is better than breadth.  We would rather you explain at length one or two specifics that really set the program apart for you, than briefly mention seven to ten.

5. Prepare to weave into your responses what you will be able to offer the school. Make it clear how your experiences and interests, personal and professional, will benefit the school and create a stronger, more diverse MBA class and alumni base.

6. Think through your biggest career successes and failures, and consider what you learned from both. When answering a question about one of your failures, spend only 20 percent of the response on the situation and mistake. The rest of your response should be devoted to the actions you took to gain a better understanding and improve, and what you learned as a result.

7. Determine if there are any red flags in your application and, if so, craft a response that addresses the issue without making excuses. For example, if asked about the ‘C’ you received in Calculus your sophomore year, discuss what you have done to improve your quantitative ability since then, and make mention of those specific areas in your transcript and post-baccalaureate experience that are more indicative of your ability to compete in a rigorous academic environment.  

8. Stay current on domestic and international news. The Economist is wonderful, one of our favorite publications. You will also want to be aware of any news related to your current company, industry, and desired career path as these are great areas from which your interviewer may draw questions.  Setting up Google alerts for key phrases related to your company and industry will also help ensure you’re up to date.

9. Prepare three questions, which demonstrate your knowledge of and enthusiasm for the program, to ask the interviewer at the end of your session.

10. Compose a hand-written thank you note and snail mail it to your interviewer. In the note, thank them for their time, reiterate your interest in the school with specifics, make note of something memorable you spoke about during the interview, and, if applicable, make the yield protection statement (If admitted, I will attend.).

Let’s Talk About CASPer. Medical School Admissions

To gauge an applicant’s ability to critically evaluate a complex scenario and employ sound judgment and effective communication skills, a growing number of allopathic medical schools (currently, more than 40) have turned to CASPer. 

What in the world is CASPer?

CASPer (Computer-based Assessment for Sampling Personal Characteristics) is a situational judgment test that a school might ask you to take before interview season. As of 2022, it takes between 100 to 120 minutes to complete. The test presents you with 15 scenarios and follow-up questions about them. Some of the scenarios will be about real-life experiences that you've had. (These Qs are similar to Secondary prompts and interview questions.) Other scenarios will ask you to take on a role. For example: "You're a store manager and someone is trying to return something without a receipt." The CASPer raters use your answers to assess your empathy, ethics, self-awareness, motivation, teamwork, and communication skills, among other qualities. 

The test is presented in two sections—a typed response section and a video response section. The exact length of and balance between these sections has changed from year to year, but this is what it is like right now. 

In the typed response section, there are three written and six video-based scenarios. You'll have five minutes to answer three questions about each in writing. (If you finish early, you can hit the submit button; your answers will automatically submit at the five-minute mark whether you're finished answering or not.) Focus on content over perfect grammar. The raters know this is tightly timed and they want to see your personality and critical thinking more than a flawless polish. After you've answered five scenarios, you'll have the option of taking a five-minute break. Take it. There's no pausing this party once it's started. At the end of the section, there will be another optional ten-minute break. Take it—you might need some of that time to prepare for the next section.

In the video response section, you'll be presented with two written scenarios and four video-based scenarios. For each, you will respond by video. You'll be asked three questions and give a one-minute video response to each. At the one-minute mark, your video will automatically upload. Altus Assessments, which owns CASPer, notes that many applicants run over their video answer time and it's not a big deal. If it happens, let it go, and reset your brain for the next prompt. Being calm and collected in the next video is going to make more of a statement than your "oops."

Are my CASPer results going to keep me out of med school?

Not every school requires the test, and it alone is not used to weed out prospective students. It's more like a school is lining up who you presented in your application next to who you appear to be according to CASPer. They're looking for great disparities between these two things. For example, if your application showed you as a modern-day saint, and your CASPer score for empathy was middling at best, that's a little interesting. Maybe you're a person who checked off a list of the right things to do before medical school and you're not actually aligned with the school's values. An introverted applicant who is shy in their interview could benefit from a strong CASPer score that shows they have the other qualities needed to be a top student and doctor.

A complete practice test is available, as is a sample test for video answers only. Your answers won't be reviewed by anyone at Altus. This is just so you can get used to the test's format. The takealtus.com website has information about other ways to prepare for your test day.

MBA Program Announcements Roundup

We’ve rounded up and summarized the most recent MBA program announcements below. 

• Duke’s Fuqua School of Business announced this week that its MBA degree has received a STEM designation. Prior to receiving the designation, the school’s MBA offered a STEM-designated second degree in Management Science and Technology Management (MSTeM). “We had been one of the first schools to offer a STEM second major or second degree for a certain series of courses that a student would take,” says Shari Hubert, Associate Dean for Admissions at Fuqua. “But now the entire MBA program is STEM-qualifying, which, for our students, is really game-changing because it gives them that additional two years of OPT, depending on the job that they take.”

• NYU Stern announced the establishment of the Chao-Hon Chen Institute for Global Real Estate Finance, which is funded by a $20 million gift from alumni and board member, Charles C.Y. Chen. The institute will facilitate research, immersive learning, and industry interactions in real estate and the built environment, as well as fund annual scholarships for undergraduate and MBA students studying real estate. 

• Columbia University announced that it will offer a Global Executive MBA starting in May 2023. The program will take a hybrid format, relying predominantly on virtual instruction, with only about a quarter of the 22-month long program expected to take place in an in-person residential format. The content will be geared towards experienced professionals who have about ten years of professional experience and five years of management experience. 

• Georgetown’s McDonough School of Business announced a new online MBA degree, available in August 2023. The program will include two in-person campus visits, but the large majority will be offered through synchronous and asynchronous virtual classes. This MBA will be the school’s third online degree offering, which currently consists of specialized masters programs in finance and business analytics. “More and more MBA programs and business schools are moving toward online degrees,” says Prashant Malaviya, Senior Associate Dean of MBA programs at McDonough. “We have two right now. Both of them have done well. So we know the model works, that there are students who are interested in this—and we also have a nobler goal, which is to increase access to the Georgetown education outside of the DMV region.”

• UVA Darden’s first cohort of part-time MBA students based in Washington, D.C. kicked off classes at its Rosslyn, VA campus last month. The program is designed for working individuals in the DC area and is self-paced with students obtaining their MBA in between 28 and 48 months. “A part-time program adds flexibility and optionality to the MBA,” explains Yael Grushka-Cockayne, Senior Associate Dean for Professional Degree Programs at Darden.  “It allows some students who in the past couldn’t take the time off to have an MBA experience.”

Law School Deans Write Letter of Opposition to ABA’s Proposed Recommendation to Drop Standardized Test Requirement

In response to the ABA’s proposed revision to eliminate the test requirement as a component of the law school admission process, 60 law school deans have submitted a letter expressing their opposition to the measure. They believe it will harm efforts to improve diversity in law school classes. “Without the LSAT as a factor, law schools may be less willing to take a chance on students who do not perform well on GPA or other metrics because they worked to put themselves through school, had to care for family, or for other reasons, but would enhance the diversity of our institutions and ultimately the profession,” the Dean’s letter states. “Students who struggle early in college, which sometimes happens with first-generation college students, may have lower initial grades and thus overall lower grade point averages. Test scores may help these students, both in determining which schools they should consider and in gaining admission.”

The Society of American Law Teachers also submitted a letter, written by Olympia Durhart and Allyson Gold, calling for a data review of the projected impact of abolishing the test requirement on groups historically underrepresented in law. They note that it is necessary, before taking action, to ensure that the measure won’t adversely affect the very groups which it purports to help. Further, they contend that law schools should “act as laboratories for admissions strategy experimentation to attack the larger structural barriers to the profession.”

In total, 51 individuals or groups submitted comments in favor of the proposal, while 49 submitted comments opposing the measure.

Related: ABA to Vote on Recommendation that Would Allow Law Schools to Drop Admissions Test Requirement

Last Year’s Graduating Medical Students Reported Satisfaction with their Education, Fewer Instances of Bullying, and Less Debt

The 2022 Medical School Graduation Questionnaire is an annual survey that asks graduates of accredited U.S. Allopathic medical schools about their medical school experience. Last month, the aggregate results for 2022 were released, and included responses from over eighty percent of the medical school graduates from academic year 2021-2022. Over half of the respondents, 53.7 percent, were women (compared to 51.2 percent of the population) and 17.8 percent were underrepresented minorities (compared to 18.9 percent of the population).

We’ve summarized key findings below.

Most students report satisfaction with the quality of their medical education and their school’s support of their development as physicians.

• The vast majority of students (88.4 percent) agreed or strongly agreed that they are satisfied with the quality of their medical education.

• Just over nine in ten respondents agreed or strongly agreed that they have acquired the necessary clinical skills to begin residency (91.2 percent) and that their medical school has done a good job fostering and nurturing their development as a future physician (91.0 percent).

More Students are graduating without medical school debt, and many who do have debt are exploring loan forgiveness programs.

• Just under one-third of respondents (30.9 percent) reported that they would graduate with no medical school debt; this proportion has been increasing modestly over the last several years, up from 27.7 percent in 2018.

• Among those who are graduating from medical school with debt, the median amount is $200,000.

• Among students graduating with debt, about half (49 percent) reported that they plan to enter a loan forgiveness program, with most (83.9 percent) interested in the Public Loan Forgiveness Program.

Students continue to select specialties based on personal fit; the proportion of students who experienced “away rotations'' has almost returned to pre-pandemic levels.

• Most respondents reported that “fit with personality, interests, and skills” influenced their choice of specialty (86.4 percent). This was followed closely by “content of specialty” (82.4 percent), “role model influence” (48.6 percent), and “work/life balance” (47.6 percent). These options have consistently been the most frequently cited in the survey over the past five years.

• An increased number of students reported participating in away rotations (45.9 percent), which is up compared to 2021 (18.5 percent). But this is not quite as high as in previous years (55.5 percent in 2019; 54.7 percent in 2020).

• Fewer students reported participating in elective activities compared to 2021, which includes working at a free clinic (69.8 percent), home care (18.8 percent), nursing homecare (16.2 percent), or a global health experience (14.2 percent). Slightly more reported authoring a published paper (62.6 percent, compared to 61.2 percent in 2021 and 55.1 percent in 2020).

Students are aware of mistreatment policies and slightly fewer reported experiencing mistreatment in medical school this year compared to last.

• Almost all respondents reported awareness of school policies on mistreatment of medical students (97.6 percent), and said they were familiar with reporting procedures for mistreatment (90.2 percent).

• Over one-third of students (39.4 percent) reported experiencing one of 16 named types of mistreatment—including public humiliation, derogatory remarks, and discrimination based on gender, race, sexual orientation, or other personal traits or beliefs—one or more times during medical school. This number dropped slightly from 40.3 percent the year before.

• Among students who experienced mistreatment, most said it occurred during a clinical clerkship (87.6 percent). Mistreatment occurred most frequently during rotations in surgery (55.2 percent), obstetrics and gynecology/women’s health (30.2 percent), and internal medicine (22.6 percent).

Tips for Acing the Law School Interview

Most law schools don’t interview their applicants. But among those who do, an admissions director or alum will typically conduct a 20 to 30-minute behavioral interview where they will assess your interpersonal traits, commitment to and aptitude for the study of law, and your interest in and potential to contribute to the school/community. They will also want to ensure that your interview is consistent with your application.

Begin preparing for your interview by thinking through your most meaningful experiences that will help demonstrate your skills and abilities in the areas of critical thinking, leadership, and teamwork, as well as those that reinforced your commitment to the study of law. As with your personal statement, you’ll want to show the interviewer your strengths and potential through specific examples, rather than limiting your content to claims.  

Below, we’ve compiled a list of common interview questions, by type, to help you with your preparation. 

Know yourself. This interview is about giving the admissions committee a view into who you are. Think about your interests, passions, and underlying motivations.

• Tell me about yourself. You’ll want to prepare an elevator pitch (consider a one-minute version, as well as a three-minute version) that provides an overview of your background and interest in law school. What have been some of your most meaningful experiences, that reinforced your commitment to the study of law?  Why? Are there specific experiences that prompted an evolution in your perspective so notable you want to include them here too? What led you to make certain academic and professional decisions? 

• Why Law School? Your response to this question should demonstrate your interest in the study of law. You’ll want to highlight key experiences in the areas of critical thinking, ideally in an academic or legal setting, that reinforced your desire to attend law school. Prepare also for related questions such as: Why now? What is your legal dream job? Where do you see yourself in ten years?

• What has been your most meaningful academic or professional accomplishment to date? Why? Prepare to speak confidently on any of the experiences you have listed in your application materials. What did the experience teach you about yourself? How did it challenge you? How did the experience reinforce your interest in pursuing law school? How did it change or reinforce your views of the legal system—and your desired role within it—in the U.S.?

• Would you change anything about your undergraduate education? Why? 

  If there is a red flag pertaining to your undergraduate education (for example, a semester with a low GPA or a transfer between schools), this may present a good opportunity to address it.  Without making excuses, emphasize what you learned from the experience and/or point to other areas of your academic record that are much more indicative of your ability to compete in a rigorous academic environment. 

  If you do not have a red flag to address, you may want to talk about that missed opportunity to study abroad or take a class in philosophy. Did an early disappointment ultimately inspire you to change your path to pursue law school after graduation? Be sure to link your chosen topic to qualities related to your law school candidacy. Prepare also for related questions such as: Why did you choose your undergraduate institution? What did you enjoy most about your undergraduate education? 

Understand your fit with the school. You must prove to the interviewer that their law program is the perfect intersection between where you’ve been and where you want to go. Do your homework and be prepared to discuss how your past experiences and future goals have inspired your interest in their offerings. 

• Why [specific school]? Look at the mission of the school, student organizations, courses, faculty, research and experiential learning opportunities, and come to the interview prepared to explain how you would engage. Keep in mind also that law schools are integrated in their local communities, so consider your fit here too. Do you have a particular interest in working within the state, or in a rural/urban environment? Did the location of the school impact your decision to apply to this program? Why? Prepare also for related questions such as: What do you hope to gain from our law school? What hesitations do you have with our program? 

Share stories. Use stories from your life to show your interviewer who you are, how you’ve grown, and what you will bring to the incoming class. Spend some time brainstorming and reviewing anecdotes that can be tailored to different behavioral questions and demonstrate the qualities law school admissions committees are looking for. 

• Tell me about a time when you challenged the group consensus. Tell me about a time when you came up with an innovative solution to a problem. To respond to a situation-based question, use the SAR (Situation, Action, Response) model. Spend about 20 percent of your response on the situation, and the remaining 80 percent on the actions you took and what resulted/what you learned. The SAR model also applies to a question like: What is your greatest weakness?  You will want to spend 20 percent of your response on the weakness, and 80 percent discussing the actions you took/are taking to improve, and what the results have been/what you’ve learned since beginning your improvement plan.

• What is your greatest strength? How would you sum up your leadership style? For questions where a simple claim would seem to suffice for a response, always take it a step further. Make a claim, THEN back it up with a specific example to illustrate that claim—in a group project, professional/intern experience, or extracurricular role.

Apply Point’s Tips for Success

• Outline the key points and experiences you would like to discuss within the behavioral interview and take responsibility for bringing up these points. It is most helpful to review all of your application materials again, and highlight those stories that will showcase your abilities and strengths in the areas of critical thinking, leadership, problem solving, and teamwork, as well as those experiences that reinforced your commitment to the study of law. 

• Nearly every response in a behavioral interview should include a story, even those that don’t ask you to recall a specific situation. This will not only make your interview more compelling and specific, but it will be much more memorable to the interviewer. 

• Speak about any recent accomplishments or events not included in your application. Continue to improve your candidacy even after you’ve submitted your application.

• Be proactive about bringing up red flags or weaknesses in your application. Address these head-on during the interview because they will inevitably come up within the admissions committee’s discussions. Rather than make excuses, talk about what you’ve learned and how you will continue to improve moving forward.

• Practice delivering your responses to interview questions aloud, and be sure to limit most responses (to behavioral interview questions) to between 1.5 and three minutes. Ask us for a list of behavioral interview questions so you can practice and prepare. 

• Prepare two to three school-specific questions for the interviewer that demonstrate your interest in and enthusiasm for the program.  

• At the end of the interview, thank your interviewer, reiterate to them if their program is your first choice, and send a hand-written thank you note.

Related: Law School Interview Practices

Lower Overall Applicant Numbers in MBA Class of 2024, with Large Uptick in International Matriculants

MBA programs have started to release profiles for their entering classes. Poets & Quants highlighted a consistent downward trend in MBA application volume from last year’s admissions season. With a low unemployment rate, and many corporations paying top dollar to retain or attract talent, business school applications declined at many schools, even at the most prestigious (with Cornell Johnson as one notable exception). The declines are most concentrated among domestic applicants. Schools that have reported their Class of 2024 profiles note record-breaking diversity numbers and increases in the number of international matriculants. 

UPenn (Wharton) 

• Last year, Wharton applications declined by 13.9 percent. While the school does not report their acceptance rate, Poets & Quants estimates it to be approximately 25 percent compared to an estimated 18 percent the year prior. 

• The average GMAT score remained steady at an (record-breaking) average of 733.

• The full-time MBA class maintained gender parity. Women make up 50 percent of the class. This is down slightly from last year’s 52 percent. International students now comprise 35 percent of the class.  

NYU (Stern)

• NYU’s application volume decreased ten percent last year and matriculation decreased 11 percent. Stern’s acceptance rate increased to 27 percent from 19 percent. 

• The entering class set a new record for both average GMAT scores—733 from 729—and GPA—3.62, up from 3.59. 

• Women make up 45 percent of the class (a record), and underrepresented ethnicities make up 21 percent. Just under half, 44 percent, hold international citizenship. 

UVA (Darden)

• Applicant volume decreased just 3.5 percent last year at Darden, a relatively small change compared to other programs. 

• The entering class set a new record for average GMAT score—720 up from 715.

• In terms of diversity, the entering class boasts the highest ever percentage of international students (43 percent), first-generation college graduates (16 percent), and LGBTQ+ students (8 percent). 

Columbia

• Columbia’s application volume decreased by 5.5 percent last year and the school increased its number of admitted students by just over 12 percent. The school’s acceptance rate increased to 22.1 percent from 18.6 percent the year before.

• The entering class reported GMAT scores consistent with the previous year (729), and an increase in average GPA—3.6, up from 3.5 the previous year.

• Columbia’s entering class includes a record-setting proportion of women (45 percent), international students (51 percent), and minorities (42 percent).  

Cornell (Johnson)

• Applicants to Johnson increased by over 21 percent last year, compared to the year before, and the school also maintained its class size. 

• The class maintained its quality metrics, with the average GMAT score the same as the previous year (710). The average GPA declined just slightly—3.3, down from 3.34. 

• The Class of 2024 also saw a sharp uptick in the proportion of international students—43 percent compared to 35 percent the year before. The percentage of women in the class (39 percent) stayed consistent with the prior year, while the number of underrepresented minority students declined—16 percent, compared to 25 percent the year before. 

Michigan (Ross)

• Applicants to Ross decreased by 9.3 percent last year with a corresponding 4.5 percent decrease in class size. Similarly, the school’s acceptance rate increased to 28.1 percent from 20.2 percent the year before. 

• Despite the decline in applications, the average GMAT score—720, down from 722—and GPA—3.5, down from 3.53—for the entering class remained on par with the previous year.

• The proportion of international students increased to 36 percent (a record), as did the U.S. minorities (42 percent, from 36 percent), first generation college graduates (14 percent), LGBTQ+ (9 percent), and students with military backgrounds (7 percent). The proportion of women, on the other hand, dipped slightly below the level seen in recent years (42 percent, from 46 percent the year before). 

UCLA (Anderson) 

• The number of applicants for Anderson’s entering class declined 20 percent, with a corresponding 8.3 percent decrease in the number of enrolled students. 

• The average GMAT score declined to 711, from 714 the previous year (although the average is higher than that seen for the Class of 2022), and the average work experience increased to six years, up from five years. 

• While the proportion of international students increased considerably to 47 percent, up from 36 percent, the percentages of both women (35 percent) and minorities (28 percent) declined for this class compared to the one previously. 

Law School Interview Practices

Among the top 20 law schools, interview practices vary. Some programs interview as many applicants as possible. Others opt not to interview at all. 

If you are invited to take part in an interview, optional or not, we recommend that you take advantage of the opportunity and schedule it as early as possible. It will give you the chance to expand upon the information in your application, demonstrate your maturity and commitment to the study of law, show that you will be a collaborative part of the law school community, and, most importantly, articulate your interest in the school by speaking specifically to courses, professors, or experiential learning opportunities that you’re most excited about. While the University of Michigan Law School does not facilitate evaluative interviews, they note that, “...schools that do employ interviews typically do so not because it enhances their selection of candidates, but because it enhances their ability to select people who are committed to attending the institution. In other words, they believe that if you are willing to attend an interview, you are much more likely to attend the school if you are admitted.” 

Below, we have compiled a list of the U.S. News Top 20 law programs’ interview protocols. 

Yale: Interview by invitation only 

The Admissions Office is piloting an interview program for the 2022–2023 application cycle. A small number of applicants will be selected for interviews as part of the evaluation process. Participation in this program is optional. Applicants who choose not to participate in the interview program, or who opt to participate and are not selected for an interview, will not be disadvantaged in our admissions process.

Stanford: Interviews are not a part of the admissions process. 

University of Chicago: Interview by invitation only 

We still strongly encourage applicants to take advantage of this opportunity to interview with a member of the Admissions Committee and will make every effort to move each application through the review process as expeditiously as possible.  Once you receive an interview request, it is in your best interest to schedule your interview as soon as possible. Interview slots are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis. 

Columbia: Interview by invitation only 

Incorporating interviews into the admissions process is one of the channels through which we hope to meet the needs of our applicants. We are seeking to provide you with the means to learn more about Columbia in a more personal way, just as we hope to understand even more about you by having a conversation. Since we employ a holistic admissions process in which we do not use a grid or formula to determine admissibility, an interview will not carry any particular weight relative to the other application components. Rather, we hope that the interview will, in addition to allowing you to get to know us better, amplify what you have already included in your application for admission. Because of the nature of our selection process, the interview will be contextualized differently for each applicant.

Harvard: Interview by invitation only 

During the application review process you may be invited to interview. These interviews will happen throughout the admissions cycle, starting in November. The Admissions Office will contact you directly to set up an interview. Interviews are conducted using Zoom. As always, we will accommodate individuals who may be unable to conduct their interview in this manner.

University of Pennsylvania (Carey): Interview by invitation only 

The Admissions Committee occasionally may request to interview an applicant during the evaluation period.

NYU School of Law: Interviews are not a part of the admissions process. 

University of Virginia: Interview by invitation only

Every applicant who, upon review of his or her file, is determined to be a competitive and serious candidate for admission is contacted and interviewed via video call or phone, by an admissions staff member. Those who review files and conduct applicant interviews make recommendations to the Assistant Dean for Admissions, who conducts a final review and is charged with releasing decisions to applicants. In some cases, the Assistant Dean may consult with the Dean of the Law School before releasing decisions.

University of California, Berkeley: Interviews are not a part of the admissions process. 

University of Michigan: Interviews are not a part of the admissions process. 

Duke:  Interview by invitation only

When the admissions committee determines that additional information would be helpful in making a final decision, applicants may be invited to interview with a member of the committee. These interviews are optional, and offered by invitation at the discretion of the admissions committee. 

Cornell: Interview by invitation only

Interviews are at the request of our Admissions Committee only. 

Northwestern (Pritzker): Interview by invitation only

Interviews are optional and provide the Admissions Committee with additional information about the applicant's interpersonal and communication skills, maturity, and motivation. These conversations also help us to preserve the strong sense of community and cooperative culture for which we are known, while providing you with the opportunity to build your application.  

Georgetown: Interview by invitation only

Invitational interviews are another way for the Admissions Committee to get to know you. We have two interview programs, Alumni Interviews and Group Interviews. Both programs are invitation only at this time.

UCLA: Interviews are not a part of the admissions process. 

Washington University in St. Louis: Interview by invitation only

Applicants may be invited to complete an interview with Admissions staff. The Admissions Committee determines who will be interviewed based on factors in the application.

Boston University: Interviews are not a part of the admissions process. 

University of Texas, Austin:  Interview by invitation only

During the application process, the Admissions Committee may invite you to complete an online interview as part of your evaluation. These interviews are conducted by invitation only. If you are invited to participate, we will contact you directly with instructions on how to access and complete the interview.

Vanderbilt: Alumni interview by applicant request

We would like to know you better as a prospective student - and for you to learn more about Vanderbilt. That's why we offer admission interviews with VLS alumni as part of the application process, and why VLS alumni conduct interviews nationwide and in several foreign locations. 

University of Southern California (Gould): Interviews are not a part of the admissions process. 

Related: Tips for Acing the Law School Interview

The Medical School Post-Interview Thank You Note

After completing your medical school interview, you will want to follow up with your interviewer(s) by handwriting a thank you note. This is just another opportunity to express gratitude for their time and consideration, emphasize points of connection you had during your interview, reiterate your interest in the medical school with specifics and, where it applies, make the yield protection statement (“If admitted, I would attend.”) 

We encourage you to keep the following guidelines in mind:

• Handwrite your note and send it promptly, ideally within 24 hours of the interview.

• Keep it focused. Your note should not be used to introduce new information.

• Keep it brief. Your note should be no longer than two paragraphs in length.  

• Make it personal. Ensure that your note feels specific to the recipient and institution, rather than overly general. 

Frequently asked questions:

Who should I write a thank you note to?

You will want to send a follow-up note to your interviewers, and you should also consider sending a note to anyone with whom you spent an extended period of time (student tour guides, etc.) or from whom you gleaned meaningful insight into the school or the application process.

Does it have to be handwritten or can I send an email? 

Handwritten is best for interviewers, but feel free to use email to follow up with students you had meaningful interactions with. 

Should I include any updates related to my application?

No. Direct all application updates to the admissions committee. 

Should I let them know that the program is my first choice?

Yes, if their program is your first choice, you must let them know in the interview, and again in the thank you note.

I participated in an MMI, how should I approach the follow-up thank you note?

After an MMI, you should try to send a thank you note to all of the interview station leaders. 

Related:

• The Medical School Interview

• The Medical School Interview: Preparing for the Traditional One-on-One Interview

• The Medical School Interview: Preparing for the Multiple Mini Interview (MMI)

• Tips for a Successful Virtual Interview

• Temple’s Katz School of Medicine Incorporates Local Community Into Medical School Admissions

AMA and AAMC Urge Supreme Court to Continue Allowing Medical Schools to Consider Race/Ethnicity in Admissions Decisions

The U.S. Supreme Court is taking two cases that could prevent medical schools’ current practice of considering race/ethnicity in admissions decisions: Students for Fair Admission Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College and Students for Fair Admission Inc. v. University of North Carolina et al. The first considers if Harvard’s admissions processes penalize Asian Americans and in turn violate Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. The second North Carolina case asks if the Supreme Court should overturn a 2003 decision, Grutter v. Bollinger, which allows race to be used as a component of admissions decisions. 

In response to the Supreme Court’s review of the upcoming cases, the AMA and AAMC, along with 40 other organizations, submitted an amicus brief urging the court to “take no action that would disrupt the admissions processes the nation’s health-professional schools have carefully crafted in reliance on this court’s longstanding precedents.” The brief notes the key role that diversity in medical school admissions plays in reducing health disparities by increasing the number of minority practitioners, who are more likely to serve in minority communities, and also by increasing the effectiveness of all physicians through a more diverse learning and training environment. The brief points to scientific research and studies showing the benefits of diversity, saying that “Preventing medical educators from continuing to consider diversity in admissions … would literally cost lives and diminish the quality of many others.” The brief also suggests the possibility that overruling the use of race in admissions decisions may, “...potentially trigger a spiral of severe and self-reinforcing decreases in diversity in the health care professions. States that have banned race-conscious admissions have seen the number of minority medical school students drop by roughly 37% as a result.”

Biden to Announce Student Loan Debt Relief for Earners Making Less than $125K

According to the New York Times, President Biden is expected to announce today that his administration will cancel $10,000 in student loan debt for Americans earning $125,000 or less per year (or households earning $250,000 or less per year). The administration will also extend the payment moratorium until December 31st of this year, with borrowers expected to resume payments in the new year. 

Along with this announcement, the President is expected to report that college Pell grant recipients will receive an additional $10,000 in debt forgiveness. 

Legal challenges to the loan forgiveness program are expected, which may make the timing for implementation uncertain.